Rotary engine.



G. E. GALLAWAY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIoA'HoN FILED JUNE 5, 1912.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1912.

1,079,743. Patented Nov. 25, 1913 G. E. GALLAWAY.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIGATION FILED JUNI: 5, 1912.

1,079,748. Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

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G. E. GALLAWAY.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 5, 1912.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH co.,\\AsmNUTON. u. c.

Y oinTEn sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.I

GEORGE E. CALIJAWAY, OF JONESBORO, LOUISIANA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. CALLAwAY, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Jonesboro, in the parishof Jackson and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in rotary engines, and consists incertain novel constructions and arrangements of parts hereinafter'described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section ofthe improvement; Fig. 2 is a side view of one end ring; Fig. 3 is asimilar view of the other end ring; Fig. 4 is a face view of a rotor;Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same; Fig. G is a section on the line 6 6of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the valve; Fig. 8 is aperspective view of an abutment; Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on theline 9&9 of Fig. 1; Fig. 10 is a front view of one of the end plates;Fig. 11 is a transverse section of one of the holding rings for thevalve chest; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of an abutment; Fig. 13 is asimilar view of one section of the abutment and the packing; Fig. 14 isa perspective view of one section of a vane and the packing therefor;and Fig. 15 is a transverse section of an abutment.

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a base 1, provided ateach end with a standard 2-2a, connected at its upper end to the engine.The said engine coinprises a plurality of rings, 3-4-5-6-7- 8-9 and 10,the said rings increasing in diameter from ring 3, which is thesmallest, to ring 10 which is the largest. rlhe said rings 4 to 10inclusive and the rotors coperating therewith differ onlv in size, beingprecisely the same in other respects, and but one, ring 10, will bedescribed. Each ring is provided at each end with a lateral outwardlyextending flange 11 and 12 respectively, and the adjacent flanges of theadj acent rings are connected by bolts. 13. The outer side of ring 10 isclosed by a head 14, secured to the fiange 12 of the ring by bolts 15,and the outer side of ring 4 is closed by a head 16, secured to fiange11 by bolts 17.

The rings are separated by disks 18, and each ring is counterbored ateach end, as indicated at 19 and 20, to receive the edge of the disk.The counterbored portion 19 of each ring is connected to the outer faceSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application led June 5, 1912.

Patented N ov. 25, 1913.

Serial No. 701,789.

of the ring by means of an inclined or beveled portion 21, for making atight fit, between the disk and the ring. Each disk has a centralopening 22, and a shaft 23 is arranged in the openings, extending`through -the rings at each end. The shaft has an integral annular collaror rib 24, at the end adjacent to head 14, and the head has a centralopening 25, fitting the said collar or rib. Rings 4 and 10 are connectedto standards 2 and 2a respectively, and the outer end of shaft 23 beyondhead 14 is threaded, as shown at 2G, and is engaged by a nut 27, lockedby a nut 28. The nut 27 is provided with a section 29 of a ball race atits inner edge, and the other section 30 of the race is formed on theinner surface of a washer 31, bolted at 32 to a hub 33 on the head 14. Aball bearing 34 is held in the sections 29 and 30 of the race, and thehub has an annular chamber 35, communicating with the ring 10 at 36, andhaving an exhaust opening or port 37. The head 16 is integral with thering or cylindrical valve chest or chamber 3, and the said chamber orring has a lateral flange 33 at its outer end corresponding to flanges11 of the rings 4 to 10. A hea-d 39, resemblingthe head 16 is secured tothe outer end of ring 3 by bol-ts 40, and the head has a hub 41,carrying the outer sect-ion 42 of a ball race. The shaft 23 is alsothreaded at the end adjacent to the head 39, and a conical sleeve nut 43is threaded onto the shaft, and carries the other section 44 of therace, for the ball bearing` 45. A lock nut 4G is threaded onto the shaftfor locking the sleeve. The rings are thus held between the nuts 27 and43, and the nuts may be adjusted to properly position the rings.

, The valve chamber 3 is provided with an inlet port 47 for the ino-tivefluid, and that portion of the shaft 23 within rings 3 and 4 is hollow,and a plurality of series of radial slots 48 and 49 are provided in theshaft adjacent to the rings 3 and 4 for placing the said rings inconnnunication with the hollow of the shaft.

The valve 50 is of cylindrical form and is seated in the hollow orchamber 51 of the shaft. The valve has a stem 52 at one end, an axialconical lug at the other. rlhe lug 53 is seated in a conical bearingrecess 54 at the inner end of chamber 51, at thc'axis of the shaft, andthe stem 52 extends through a. plug 55 in the shaft 23 and into a casingto be described. The valve is provided with two series 56 and 57 ofradial slots, extending longitudinally of the valve. The series 56 ofslots communicate through slots 48 with the valve chamber, and theseries 57 communicate through slots 49 with the interior of ring 4.

The rotors of the respective rings are similar, each of the rings 5 to10 inclusive being provided with a disk 58 While the ring 4 is providedwith a disk 58a. The disks 58 are keyed to the shaft 23 in the ring, bymeans of a key 59. All of the disks are approximately elliptical inshape, and at each end of the long axis each disk has a recess 60. Eachrecess is provided at one side of its mouth with a bearing recess 6l,for receiving a bearing lug 62 on a wing or vane 63.

The wings or vanes 63 as shown in Fig. 8 each consists of two portionsarranged at an acute angle to each other, one portion having the bearinglug 62, and the other port-ion having its free edge 64 enlargedlaterally and rounded from side to side for engaging the inner face ofthe ring. The recesses 60 of the disk are so shaped, that they willreceive the wing or vane completely, as shown in Fig. 2. The edge of therecess adjacent to bearing 61 is provided with an integral overlying lug65, for limiting the outward swinging of the vane.

A lining 66 is provided for each of the rings 4 to 10, and each lininghas its inner surface of trefoil shape, that is there are three points72 at which the extremities of the disk touch the lining. The lining isrecessed near each of the said points, as indi` cated at 67. An abutment73 is arranged in each recess, each recess being substantiallytriangular in shape, and opening into the interior of the ring at theangle near the above mentioned point, as shown at 7l. Each recess has abearing 68 at the corner remote from the said point, and each abutmenthas a bearing lug 69 fitting the recess. The abutments are substantiallyL-shaped, and the bearing is at one end. The angular portion 70 of eachabutment is adapted to extend through the opening 7l into engagementwith the outer surface of the disk. The ends of the portions 70 of theabutments move in cont-act with the periphery of the rotor or disk 58,and the motive fluid is admitted to each ring from the preceding ring atthese points. The motive fluid is admitted to ring 4 from the steamchamber, acts upon the blades or vanes of the rotor of ring 4, and isexhausted into the ring 5, and from each ring to the next larger ring,acting upon the rotor of each ring, until it is finally exhausted at theport 37.

It will be noticed from an inspection of Figs, 4-5 and 6, that each disk58 is provided with a central opening 73 for the shaft 23, and with akey-way 74L in the opening. At one end, each disk is provided with atubular extension or nipple 74, and that the extremity of the nipple isbeveled, as indicated at 75. Each plate 10 has as before mentioned anopening 22 for the shaft 23, and each of the said openings is o-fsufficient size to receive the nipple 74. The nipples 74 of the disk areof such length that the cylindrical portion thereof is within theopening 22 of the plate, the beveled portion extending beyond the plate,and being received in a recess or depression 7 G in the disk of thesucceeding ring, and the recess 76 is shaped to fit the beveled end ofthe nipple. The disk 58a of ring 4 difl'ers` slightly fro-1n the disks58 of the other rings. The said disk 58a is not provided with a recess76, since there is no disk on that side, and the recess is not required.rlhe opening 73 of the disk 58a is threaded to engage a threaded portion77 of the shaft. The disk 58a is in all other respects the same as disks58, and operates in the same manner. Each of the disks 58 and 58a isprovided with four ports, two inlet ports and two exhaust ports. Theinlet ports 78 and 78a are at the end remote from the nippleV 74, andeach of the said ports has its entrance or inlet end of arc-shape andadjacent to the shaft 23. The port extends inwardly and upwardly, in thematerial of the rotor and opens o-n the periphery of the rotor by twoslots on the rear side of one of the wings or vanes of the rotor. Theexhaust ports 79 and 7 9L have their entrance or inlet ends on theperiphery of the ro-tor, in front of the wing or vane, and their outletend on the edge of the nipple 74 of the rotor. The outlet end of theexhaustfport or each rotor registers with the inlet end of the inletport of the succeeding rotor. That is the outlet or discharge ends ofthe exhaust ports of rotor 58a register with the inlet or entrance endsof the ports of the rotor in ring 5, and in like manner as regards therotors of rings 5 and 6, rings 6 and 7 and so on. The motive fluid thuspasses from ring 4 through each ring to ring l0, and exhausts throughthe exhaust port of the said ring 10.

The stem 52 of valve 50 extends into a substantially cylindrical casing80, having an axial tubular extension 8l fitting over the chambered endof shaft 23. The plug 55 of brass or like material is fitted into thesaid chambered end 83 of the shaft, the plug having a centrallongitudinal opening for the stem. The outer end of the plug is threadedinto the end of the shaft, as shown at 84. A gear wheel 85 is secured tothe stem, in the casing 80, by means of a key 86 and a plurality 0ftoothed segments 87, three in the present instance, are in mesh with thegear wheel. Each segment is provided. with an extended hub 88 arrangedon a bolt 89, passing through one wall of casing and threaded into theopposite wall. An arm 90 extends laterally from each hub atapproximately the center thereof, t-he segment being at one end of thehub. Each arm extends outwardly toward the periphery of the easing, andis provided with a weight 91, having a rounded face 92. A spring 93 hasone end connected to an eye 94 on the arm, and the inner ends of thethree springs are connected to the periphery of a disk or wheel 95. Thewheel is secured to a stub shaft 96, journaled in a bearing 97, in thecasing 80, in alinement with shaft 23. The shaft 9G extends outside ofcasing 80, and a winged sleeve or collar 98 is secured on the extendedportion of the shaft. A spring 99 is arranged on the shaft, between thecollar and a nut 100, and the spring presses the collar inwardly. Thecollar is provided with a tooth 101, engaging a notch or recess 102 inthe casing. By turning the wheel 95, the tension of the springs 93 maybe varied.

The mechanism just described is a governor. Then the shaft 23 exceeds orfalls below a predetermined speed, the said mechanism is operated toadmit or shut off a portion of the motive fluid to increase or decreasethe speed of the motor.

The head 1G and the head 39 are locked on the shaft 23, by means of thesectional collars or rings 23eL shown in Fig. 11. The said collars arecomposed of semi-circular sections held together by screws 103. The headof each screw is seated in a recess 1n the periphery of one section,passes through a threaded opening in the said section and is threadedinto a recess in the other section. The internal diameter of each ringis less than that 0f the shaft 23, and each ring is seated in an annulargroove 105 in the shaft. It will be noted that the shaft 23 is composedof two portions of unequal diameter.

In operation, the rotors move to the right of Figs. 2 and 3, in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 2. The motive fluid is admitted toeach ring` between a vane G3 and an abutment 73. The vanes and abutmentsare normally pressed outward in any suitable manner. The steam is lirstadmitted from the valve chest 3 to the ring 4, passing from the valvechest 3 through the ports 48-56 to the interior of the valve 50, andfrom the said Iinterior to the ring 4 by means of the ports 57-49 Themotive iiuid acts upon the rotor 58 in the said ring and is exhaustedinto ring 5 and acts upon the rotor 58 of the said ring. From the ring 5the motive fluid passes to ring 6 and so on until it is exhausted fromring 10. The rings and rotors gradually increase in. size from ring 4 toring 10, so that as the motive fluid exhausts it passes to a largerring, and may continue to expand until all of the expansive forcethereof is utilized.

Each. of the vanes and abutments is composed of two pieces or sections,and a packing 106 is inserted between the sections of each vane and eachabutment. The packing blocks are spring pressed to expand the vanes andabutments, and the free edge of the portion of each abutment movesclosely against the outer surface of the rotor while the free edge ofeach vane moves closely in contact with the lining 66 of the casing.

It will be noted that the ports of each rotor are outlet or exhaustports for the ring in which the rotor moves, while they are inlet portsfor the rotor of the succeeding ring. Each ring receives motive fluid atthree points, so that there is a constant flow of steam from the boilerthrough the improved engine, and a constant reaction between theabutments and the vanes.

Then the shaft 23 exceeds a predetermined speed, the weights 91 of thegovernor are thrown outwardly, thus oscillating the segments 8S, andpartially rotating the gear wheel 85 and the valve 50 to partially closethe ports 43, 49. The ports 4S and 49 and the ports 50 and 57 are largerthan required to transmit the requisite amount of steam to the engine.The valve 50 is normally arranged with the ports 56-57 out of exactregister with the ports 48-49, so that when the valve 50 is oscillatedin either direction the ports 5(3 57 will be brought more nearly intoregister with the ports 43-49 or will be moved farther o-ut of registerdepending upon the direction of movement of the valve. If the shaft 23exceeds the predetermined speed, the valve 50 is partially rotated tobring the ports 56-57 more out of register with the ports 48-49, thuslessening the area of the ports and as a consequence shutting oif aportion of the motive fluid. On the other hand should the shaft fallbelow a predetermined speed, the valve is oscillated in the oppositedirection to open the ports a little wider by bringing the ports .5G-57more nearly into register with the ports 48-49.

It will be noted that the improvement has seven rotors, and that eachrotor is keyed rigidly to the shaft 23, and is prevented from lateralmovement by the rotor in ring 4 which is threaded on to the shaft. Therings are bolted solidly together, and the shaft and rotors aresupported for rotation by means of the cone nuts 27, 43 and the ballbearings. The rotors are arranged at angular distances of l5 degreeswith respect to each other and each rotor is gained into the succeedingrotor by means of the beveled portion of the nipple 74. The steam chest,that is, ring 3 is cast solid with the head 16. Each of the disks 18engages the preceding ring by a tapered portion of the disk iitting in atapered counterbore of the ring, and the cylinder heads 39 and 14 arefitted in the same manner.

The inner ports 56 of the valve are of larger area than the outlet ports57, and the rings 23ZL shown in Fig. 11 are packing rings to prevent anyescape of steam between the heads 16 and 39 and the shaft, and the plug55 acts also as a packing for the valve stem. The inner end of the saidplug is beveled as will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 to reducefriction between the valve and the plug. The governor is entirely casedin, but is provided with a removable plate, so that access may be had tothe interior thereof.

Referring to Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, it will be noticed that eachabutment consists of two sections 73a and 73h, and each'section isrecessed on its inner face longitudinally as shown at 107 in Fig. 13.The packing` is in two sections, one of the sections of packing 106being arranged in the recess of each section of Ithe abutment. Coilsprings 108 are arranged between the bottoni of each recess and theadjacent packing section, and the said springs act normally to press thepacking sections together. The vanes are constructed in the same manner,each vane consisting of two sections 63a and G31 (Fig. 8). Each sectionis recessed on its inner edge longitudinally as shown at 109 in Fig. 14,and a packing section 110 isr arranged in each recess. rlhe packingsections are pressed together by springs in the same manner as shown inFig. 15. It will be noticed that the end of the recess 109 adjacent tothe rounded surface 64 of the vane is forked or branched as shown at 111in Fig. 14. The ends of the forks open on the rounded surface 64 and theends of the packing are shaped to correspond and to fit the saidbranches. A packing ring 112 is arranged on each face of each rotor atthe edge thereof, and the body of the rotor is notched as indicated at118 to rece-ive lugs or projections 114 on the packing ring. As shown inFig. 4, the packing ring is shaped to correspond with the contour of therot-or, the said ring having recesses or depressions to lit the recessesfor the vanes or blades. The packing rings move in contact with thedisks 18 and make a steam tight joint between each rotor and theabutment.

I claim 1. A compound rotary engine, comprising a series of connectedcoaxial rings gradually increasing in diameter from one end to theother, a shaft journaled coaxially in the rings, heads closing the outerends of the outermost rings, disks separating the adjacent rings, arotor secured to the shaftin each ring, a steam chest adjacent to thesmallest ring and coaxial therewith, said shaft being longitudinallychambered withand having ports leading from the chest and to the chamberof the ring, a valve rotatable in the chamber of the shaft and havingports coperating with the ports of the shaft, and means operated by therotation of the shaft for moving the valvey angularly to control the iowof steam from the steam chest to the first ring.

2. A compound rotary engine, comprising a series of connected coaxialrings gradually increasing in diameter from one end to the other, ashaft journaled coaxially in the rings, heads closing the outer ends ofthe outermost rings, disks separating the adjacent rings, a rotorsecured to the shaft in each ring, a steam chest adjacent to thesmallest ring and coaxial therewith, said chest comprising a ring havingan integral head at its inner end, a removable head at the outer end,the shaft being externally grooved adjacent to each of the said heads,and rings in the grooves, each of the said rings being sectional, andmeans for detachably connecting the sections.

3. In a rotary engine, comprising a plurality of connected coaxial ringsgradually increasing in diameter from one end to the other, a shaftjournaled coaxially in the rings, a head closing the outer end of thelargest ring, disks between the adjacent rings for separating the saidrings, each disk having a central opening for receiving the shaft of agreater diameter than the shaft, a rotor in each ring, each rotor havinga tubular extension or nipple for cxtending through the opening of theadjacent disk, the succeeding rotor being recessed to receive thenipple, each rotor being ported to permit the passage of the motivefluid to the successive rings, the ports being in the nipples.

4. In a rotary engine, comprising a plurality of connected coaxial ringsgradually increasing in diameter from one end to the other, a shaftjournaled coaxially in the rings, a head closing the outer end of thelargest ring, disks between the adjacent rings for separating the saidrings, each disk having a central opening for receiving the shaft of agreater diameter than the shaft, a rotor in each ring, each rotor havinga tubular extension or nipple for extending through the opening of theadjacent disk, the succeeding rotor being recessed to receive thenipple, each rotor being ported to permit the passage of the motivefluid to the successive rings, the ports beinof in the nipples, each ofthe said nipples eing beveled at its outer end.

5. In a compound rotary engine, comprising a plurality of connectedcoaxial rings gradually increasing in .diameter from Aone end to theother, said rings being annularly recessed at each of its ends, the reinthe steam chest and the adjacent ring-F cesses at one end each havingits outer wall beveled and the recesses at the other end each having itsouter Wall perpendicular to the plane of the ring, and disks forseparating the rings, each disk having its peripheral edge shaped to tthe coperating recesses of the adjacent rings, a shaft journaled coaxialof the rings, each disk having a central opening for the shaft ofgreater diameter than the shaft, a rotor in each ring secured to theshaft, each rotor having at the end adjacent to the succeeding ring atubular nipple passing through the open ing of the disk, the succeedingdisk being recessed to receive the nipple, said rotors being ported, andthe ports extending through the nipples.

6. In a compound rotary engine, comprising a plurality of connectedcoaxial rings gradually increasing in diameter from one end to theother, said rings being annularly recessed at each of its ends, therecesses at one end each having its outer Wall beveled and the recessesat the other end each having its outer Wall perpendicular to the planeof the ring, and disks for separating the rings, each disk having itsperipheral edge shaped to lit the cooperating recesses of the adjacentrings.

GEO. E. GALLAWAY.

Vitnesses:

T. H. BOND, J. T. SHANKEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

